17th Aug.-12th Sept. 1758. doing, make-off at a good pace, having nothing to live upon farther, and vanish from those Countries, to the relief of Dohna and mankind.

September 2d, Friedrich, leaving all that, had marched for Saxony; his presence urgently required there. Daun ought to be far-on with the conquest of that Country?

Might have had it, say judges, if he had been as swift as some.—At Zorndorf, among the Russian Prisoners were certain Generals, Soltikof, Czernichef, Sulkowski the Pole, proud people in their own eyes: no lodging for them but the cellars of Cüstrin. Russian Generals complained, "Is this a lodging for FieldOfficers of rank !" Friedrich was not used to profane swearing, or vituperative outbursts; but he answered to the effect: 'Silence, ye incendiary individuals. Is there a choice left of lodgings, and for you above others!" Upon which they lay silent for some days, till better suited; in fact, till exchanged, -and perhaps will soon turn-up on us again.

CHAPTER XIV.

BATTLE OF HOCHKIRCH.

So soon as Friedrich quitted Bohemia and Silesia for his Russian Enterprise, there rose high question at Vienna, "To what shall our Daun now turn himself?" A Daun, a Reichs Army, free for new employment; in Saxony not much to oppose them, in Silesia almost nothing in comparison. Recapture of Silesia ?" Yes truly; that is the steady pole-star at Vienna. But they have no Magazines in Silesia, no Siege-furnitures; and the season is far spent. They decide that there shall be a stroke upon Dresden, and recovery of Saxony, in Friedrich's absence. Nothing there at present but a Prince Henri, weak in numbers, say one to two of the Reichs Army by itself. Let the Reichs Army rise now, and advance through the Metal Mountains from south-east on Prince Henri; let Daun circle round on him, through the Lausitz from north-east: cannot they extinguish Henri between them; snatch Dresden, a weak ill-fortified place, by sudden onslaught, and recapture Saxony? That will be magnanimous to our august Allies;—and that will be an excellent scaffolding for recapture of Silesia next year. And cannot Daun leave a Force in the Silesian vicinities, —Deville with so many thousands, Harsch with so many,—

17th Aug.-12th Sept. 1758.

to besiege one of their Frontier Places; Neisse, for example? Siege-furnitures to come from Mähren: Neisse is not farther from Olmütz than Olmütz was from it.

That was the scheme fallen upon; now getting executed while Friedrich is at Zorndorf well away. And that, if readers fix it intelligently in their memory, will suffice to introduce to them the few words more that can be allowed us here upon it. A very few words, compressed to the utmost,—merely as preface to Hochkirch, whither we must hasten; Hochkirch being the one incident which, except to studious soldiers, has now and here any interest, out of the very many incidents which, then and there, were so intensely interesting to all mankind. To readers who are curious, and will take with them any poorest authentic Outline of the Localities concerned,* the following condensed Note will not be unintelligible.

Daun and the Reichs Army invade Saxony, in Friedrich's

Absence.

‘Daun, pushing-out with his best speed, along the Bohemian-Sile 'sian border, had got to Zittau August 17th; which poor City is to 'be his basis and storehouse; the greatest activity and wagoning now ' visible there,'—among the burnt walls getting rebuilt. 'And in the same days, Zweibrück and his Reichs Army are vigorously afoot; 'Zweibrück pushing across the Metal Mountains, the fastest he can; 'intending to plant himself in Pirna Country. Not to mention General 'Dombâle, Zweibrück's Austrian Second; who has the Austrian 15,000 ' with him; and, by way of preface, has emerged to westward, in "Zwickau-Tschopau Country; calculating that Prince Henri will not 'be able to attend to him just now. And in effect Prince Henri, in'tent upon Zweibrück and the Pirna Country, takes position in the old 'Prussian ground there ("headquarter Gross Seidlitz," as in 1756); ' and can only leave a Detachment in Tschopau Country to wait upon Dombâle; who does at least shoot-out Croat parties, "quite across Saxony, to Halle all the way," and entertain the Gazetteers, if he can 'do little real mischief.

'August 19th, from Zittau, Daun, after short pause, again pushes 'forward,—nothing but Ziethen attending him in the distance, till we see whitherward;-Margraf Karl waiting impatient, at Grüssau, till 'Ziethen see.1 Daun, soon after Zittau, shoots-out Loudon, Brandenburg way, as if magnanimously intending "coöperation with the Russians;" 'which would give Daun pleasure, could it be done without cost. 'Loudon does dispatch a 500 hussars to Frankfurt' (Friedrich now gone for Cüstrin), who, I think, carry a Letter for Fermor there; but lose * Plan, p. 78 a. 1 Tempelhof, ii. 258, 260 et seq.

17th Aug.-12th Sept. 1758.

'it by the way,'-for the benefit of readers, if they will wait. 'Loudon captures a poor little place in Brandenburg itself; bullies it into surrender, after a day (the very day of Zorndorf Battle, August 25th"): '-place called Peitz, garrisoned by forty-five invalids; who go on ""free withdrawal," poor old souls, and leave their exiguous stock of 'salt-victual and military furnitures to Loudon. Upon which Loudon 'whirls back out of those Countries; finding his skirts trodden-on by Ziethen,-who now sees what Daun and he are at; and warns Margraf Karl' (properly Keith, who has now joined again, as real presi'dent or chief) That hither is the way. Margraf Karl, on the slip ' for some time past, starts from Grüssau instantly (I should guess, not above 25,000 of all arms); leaving Fouquet with perhaps 10,000 to do 'his utmost, when Generals Harsch and Deville with their 20 or 30,000 come upon Silesia and him, ‚—as indeed they are already doing; already blockading Neisse, more or less, with an eye to besieging it so soon as possible.

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'Meanwhile, Serene Highness of Zweibrück, the Reichsfolk and some Austrians with him, prefaced by Dombâle more to westward, 'is wending into Pirna Country; and, in spite of what Prince Henri can do (Mayer and the Free Corps shiningly diligent, and Henri one ' of the watchfulest of men), Zweibrück does get in; sets Maguire with 'Austrians upon besieging Pirna, that is to say, the Sonnenstein of 'Pirna; 3d-5th September, gets the Sonnenstein, a thought sooner than was counted on ;3 and roots himself there,—"headquarters in Strup'pen" again, "bridge at Ober-Raden” again, all as in 1756; which, 'if nothing else can well do it, may give his Highness a momentary 'interest with some readers here. Prince Henri is at Gross Seidlitz, ' alive every fibre of him: but with Daun circling round to northward on his left, intending evidently to take him in flank or rear; with 'Dombâle already to rear, in the above circumstances, on his right; ' and Zweibrück himself lying here in front free to act, and impreg'nable if acted upon: what is Prince Henri to do? It is for Henri's rear, not his flank, that Daun aims: August 26th, Daun, who had got to Görlitz, a march or two from Zittau, started again at his best step by the Bautzen Highway towards Meissen Bridge, a 70 or 80 'miles down the Elbe: there Daun intends to cross, and to double'back upon Dresden and Prince Henri; who will thus find himself 'enclosed between three fires,—if two were not enough, or even if one ' (the Daun one itself, or the Zweibrück itself, not to count the Dombâle), in such strength as Prince Henri has!

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'A lost Prince Henri,-if there be not shift in him, if there be not 'help coming to him! Prince Henri, seeing how it was, drew back 'from Gross Seidlitz; with beautiful suddenness, one night; unmo'lested in the morning, Zweibrück's hussars find him posted inex'pugnable on the Heights of Gahmig,—which is nearer Dresden a 2 In Helden-Geschichte, v. 229-232, the 'Capitulation' in extenso.

In Helden-Geschichte, v. 223-228, account of this poor Siege, and of the movements before and after.

17th Aug.-12th Sept. 1758. good step; nearer Dombâle; and not so ready to be enclosed by Daun, 'without enclosure of Dresden too. Prince Henri's manoeuvring, in 'this difficult situation, is the admiration of military men: how he 'stuck by Gahmig; but threw-out, in the vital points, little camps, ""camp of Kesselsdorf" (a place memorable), on the west of Dres'den; and on the east, in the north Suburb of Dresden itself, across 'the River (should we have to go across the River for Daun's sake), 66 a 'strong abatis;" and neglected nothing; self, and everybody under him, lively as eagles to make themselves dangerous, Mayer in parti'cular distinguishing himself much. Prince Henri would have been a hard morsel for Daun. But beyond that, there is help on the road.' Friedrich intervening, Daun draws back; intrenches himself

in Neighbourhood to Dresden and Pirna; Friedrich following him. Four Armies standing there, in dead-lock, for a Month; with Issue, a Flank-march on the Part of Friedrich's Army, which halts at Hochkirch (September 12th -October 10th, 1758.)

Daun, since August 26th, is striding towards Meissen Bridge; without rest, day after day, at the very top of his speed,-which I find is 'nine miles a day;'4 Bos being heavy of foot, at his best. September 1st, Daun has got within ten miles of Meissen Bridge, when-Here is news, my friends; King of Prussia has beaten our poor Russians; will soon be in full march this way! King of Prussia and Margraf Karl both bending hitherward; at the rate, say, of 'nineteen miles a day,' instead of nine:-Meissen Bridge is not the thing we shall want! Daun instantly calls halt, at this news; waits, intrenches; and, in a day or two, finding the news true, hurries to rearward all he can. From the Russian side too, Daun has heard of Zorndorf, and the grand "Victory" of Fermor there; but knows well, by this sudden reëmergence of the Anti-Fermor, what kind of Victory it is.

Was it here while waiting about Meissen, or where was it, that Daun got his Letter to Fermor answered in that singular way? The Letter of two weeks ago,-carried by Loudon's Hussars, or by whomsoever,-for certain, it was retorted, or returned upon Daun; not as if from the Dead-Letter Office, but with an Answer he little expected! Here is what record I have; very vague for a well-known little fact of sparkling

nature:

Tempelhof, ii. 261.

9th Sept. 1758.

'A curious Letter fell into Friedrich's hands' (Bearer, I always guess, the Loudon Hussar-Captain with his 500, pretending to form junction with Fermor), 'Prussian Hussars picking it up somewhere,— ' date, place, circumstances, blurred into oblivion in those poor Books; 'Letter itself indisputable enough, and Answer following on it; Letter ' and Answer substantially to this effect :

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'Daun to Fermor' (Probably from Zittau, by Loudon's

Hussars).

"Your Excellenz does not know that wily Enemy as I do. By no means get into battle with such a one. Cautiously manoeuvre about; "detain him there, till I have got my stroke in Saxony done: don't try fighting him.—DAUN.”

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'Answer as from Fermor (Zorndorf once done, Daun, by the 'first opportunity got his Answer, duly signed "Fermor," ' but evidently in a certain King's handwriting):

"Your Excellenz was in the right to warn me against a cunning Enemy, whom you knew better than I. Here have I tried fighting him, and got beaten. Your unfortunate-FERMOR."5

September 9th, Friedrich and Margraf Karl, correct to their appointment, meet at Grossenhayn, some miles north of Meissen and its Bridge; by which time Daun is clean gone again, back well above Dresden again, strongly posted at Stolpen (a place we once heard of, in General Haddick's time, last Year), well in contact with Daun's Pirna friends across the River, and out of dangerous neighbourhoods. Friedrich and the Margraf have followed Daun at quick step; but Daun would pause nowhere, till he got to Stolpen, among the bushy gullets and chasms. September 12th, Friedrich had speech of Henri, and the pleasure of dining with him in Dresden. Glad to meet again, under fortunate management on both parts; and with much to speak

and consult about.

A day or two before, there had lain (or is said to have lain) a grand scheme in Daun: Zweibrück to burst-out from Pirna by daybreak, and attack the Camp of Gahmig in front (35,000 against 20,000); Daun to cross the River on pontoons, some hours before, under cloud of night, and be ready on rear and left flank of Gahmig (with as many supplemental thousands as

5 Müller, Kurzgefasste Beschreibung der drei Schlesischen Kriege (Berlin, 1755); in whom, alone of all the reporters, is the story given in an intelligible form. This Müller's Book is a meritoriously brief Summary, incorrect in no essential particular, and with all the Battle-Plans on one copperplate: Lieutenant Müller, this one: not Professor Müller alias Schottmüller by any means!

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